Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific

14.3 million
People UNHCR protects and/or assists in Asia-Pacific
12.7 million
Forcibly displaced in the region, including refugees, people in refugee-like situations, asylum-seekers and IDPs

7.4 million
Refugees, including people in refugee-like situations, and asylum-seekers in the region
5.3 million
IDPs in the region
2.5 million
Stateless persons in the region
- The total population UNHCR protects and/or assists in Asia and the Pacific remains at 14.3M by mid-2023, the highest number on record according to available data.
- This is a 65% increase compared to end-2014 figure from almost a decade ago.
- 6% increase in the total number of forcibly displaced people compared to end-2022
- Refugees (including people in refugee-like situation) and asylum-seekers increased by 5% from 7M to 7.4M
- IDPs increased to 5.3M, a 7% increase from 5M at end-2022
-The Afghan refugee population (including those in refugee-like situations) continues to be the largest in the region with 5.6 million hosted in the region.
-Afghanistan overtook Ukraine to become the second largest country of origin of refugees (including refugee-like) globally, with 6.1 million hosted by 106 countries globally.
-Myanmar is the second largest country of origin of refugees (including refugee-like) in Asia-Pacific and the sixth largest globally. There are 1.27 million refugees and people in refugee-like situations from Myanmar. The vast majority (99.7%) are hosted within the region, with over three-quarters hosted in Bangladesh.
-The Islamic Republic of Iran and Türkiye each hosted 3.4 million refugees (including refugee-like), the largest populations worldwide. The vast majority of refugees and people in refugee-like situations in the Islamic Republic of Iran are Afghans.
-Pakistan is the fifth-largest refugee hosting country globally, with 2.1M refugees and people in refugee-like situations (almost all of whom are Afghans).
-Bangladesh is the tenth-largest refugee hosting country, with 961,800 refugees (mainly Rohingya).
Afghanistan (324,500) is by far the largest country of origin for asylum seekers from the Asia-Pacific region, followed by China (121,000), India (118,100), Iran (77,800) and Bangladesh (65,600).
Given capacity constraints and limited protection value for refugee recognition, Pakistan does not conduct RSD for all asylum seekers, other than for those where there may be a protection dividend such as resettlement.
In Malaysia, the strategic use of Refugee Status Determination (RSD) is utilized. As a result, some asylum seekers from populations with a high presumption of eligibility are provided with UNHCR card/documentation, but a decision may never be issued owing to a lack of any additional protection value in conducting mandate RSD. Those cases that are identified for resettlement needs would have to undergo a mandate RSD, however.
The newly displaced IDPs during the first half of 2023 were in Myanmar (443,000) and the Philippines (80,000).

During the first half of 2023, some 6,300 refugees returned to their country of origin in the region, including some 6,100 Afghans and some 240 Sri Lankans.
During the first half of 2023, some 175,000 IDPs returned mainly in Myanmar (89,400) and the Philippines (82,900).

Global
9.7 million
Forcibly displaced Afghans globally
6.1 million
Afghan refugees and people in refugee-like situations globally
325k
Afghan asylum-seekers around the world
3.25 million
Afghan IDPs
Asia-Pacific Region
8.9 million (92%)
Forcibly displaced Afghans are in Asia-Pacific
5.56 million (91%)
Afghan refugees and people in refugee-like situations in Asia-Pacific
59k (18%)
Afghan asylum-seekers in Asia-Pacific
3.25 million
Afghan IDPs
South-West Asia
8.8 million (91%)
Forcibly displaced Afghans are in South-West Asia
5.51 million (90%)
Afghan refugees and people in refugee-like situations in South-West Asia
49k (15%)
Afghan asylum-seekers in South-West Asia
3.25 million
Afghan IDPs
Global
3.16 million
Forcibly displaced people from Myanmar globally
1.27 million
Refugees from Myanmar globally
50k
Asylum-seekers from Myanmar around the world
1.85 million
IDPs in Myanmar
Asia-Pacific Region
3.15 million (99.7%)
Forcibly displaced people from Myanmar in Asia-Pacific
1.26 million (99.7%)
Refugees from Myanmar in Asia-Pacific
44k (88%)
Asylum-seekers from Myanmar in Asia-Pacific
1.85 million
IDPs in Myanmar
3.7 million
People with and for whom UNHCR works from Myanmar in Asia and the Pacific region

1.7 million
Rohingya
62%
are Refugees
9%
are IDPs
28%
are non-displaced Rohingya